Watch: Dubai opens first driverless taxi control centre, first permit issued

Dubai: Dubai has taken a major step towards driverless mobility with the launch of Baidu Apollo Go’s Autonomous Vehicles Operations and Control Centre.

It is the first such facility for the Chinese tech giant outside China reinforcing the emirate’s ambition to lead globally in smart transport and artificial intelligence — driven mobility.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), along with Yunpeng Wang, Corporate Vice President of Baidu and President of Baidu’s Intelligent Driving Group, inaugurated the 2,000-square-metre centre at Dubai Science Park on Thursday. Commercial autonomous ride-hailing operations are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026, with the fleet set to scale progressively to 1,000 vehicles.

The centre serves as a comprehensive hub for managing autonomous vehicle operations, integrating a command-and-control centre, simulation and training rooms, and an operations and maintenance facility. It is designed to support safety testing, software updates, charging and maintenance, and rapid response to operational commands.

RTA has also granted Baidu Apollo Go Dubai’s first permit of its kind, authorising trials of fully autonomous vehicles on designated public roads without a safety driver behind the wheel.

During his visit, Al Tayer was briefed on the centre’s advanced capabilities, which include intelligent road infrastructure integration, charging and maintenance systems, and dedicated technologies to support large-scale autonomous operations. The facility oversees daily vehicle operations, inspections, component maintenance, and fleet management, while also supporting safety drivers in areas such as test readiness, safety awareness, training, and operational support.

The opening builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between RTA and Baidu Apollo Go in March 2025 to enable large-scale autonomous taxi operations in Dubai. This was followed by the issuance of the emirate’s first autonomous driving trial permit in July 2025 and the launch of trials involving 50 RT6 autonomous vehicles on designated roads a month later.

Expressing satisfaction with the launch, Al Tayer said the new centre marks a significant moment in Dubai’s smart mobility journey. “The opening of Apollo Go’s first operations centre outside China reflects the strong confidence of leading global companies in Dubai’s advanced regulatory environment and the readiness of its smart infrastructure to accommodate and advance autonomous vehicle technologies in line with the highest standards of safety and efficiency,” he said.

He added, “RTA’s issuance of Dubai’s first permit for fully driverless operational trials without a safety driver represents a qualitative milestone, translating our commitment to developing a flexible and secure legislative framework that keeps pace with rapid advancements in mobility technologies, supports innovation, and fosters partnerships with leading specialised global companies in this field.

“The collaboration with Baidu Apollo Go forms part of RTA’s vision to expand future mobility solutions and enhance the deployment of autonomous vehicles across taxi and ride-hailing services. This will contribute to improving quality of life, enhancing road safety, reducing carbon emissions, and increasing the efficiency of the emirate’s transport network.

“RTA continues to work closely with strategic partners to accelerate the adoption of smart mobility solutions and support the transformation of Dubai into a global laboratory for future transport technologies, in line with the directives of the wise leadership and the vision to build a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation and advanced technology.”

Baidu executives said Dubai’s regulatory support and infrastructure readiness were key to Apollo Go’s overseas expansion. “We are honoured that Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has entrusted Apollo Go with Dubai’s first driverless vehicle trial permit,” said Yunpeng Wang. “Together with the opening of our first overseas Apollo Go Park, this marks a significant milestone in Apollo Go’s expansion in the United Arab Emirates and underscores our long-term commitment to the region.

“Building on our proven global expertise, we look forward to working closely with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority and local partners to deliver safe, efficient and sustainable autonomous ride-hailing services, accelerating the emirate’s transition towards intelligent transportation.”

Liang Zhang, Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Baidu Apollo, added: “Receiving Dubai’s first driverless vehicle trial permit is a testament to the safety and maturity of our technology. By establishing our first overseas Apollo Go Park here in Dubai, we are creating a strong foundation to localise our operations and work closely with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority to deliver safe, efficient and sustainable autonomous mobility solutions for the emirate’s residents.”

Apollo Go’s expansion in the UAE is backed by its extensive global operational experience. The platform has logged more than 240 million kilometres in autonomous driving, including over 140 million kilometres in fully driverless mode without a human driver.

Operating across 22 cities worldwide, Apollo Go’s weekly ride volume has surpassed 250,000 trips, with cumulative completed rides exceeding 17 million as of October 31, 2025, underscoring the scale and maturity of the technology now being deployed in Duba